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He
then wrenched her bag off her and cycled away. She suffering bruising
and a burn to her neck, where the attacker ripped the bag from her.

However,
while the attack unfolded, another man walked past the attacker and
victim, either unaware or choosing to ignore what was happening - and
instead concentrating on his phone.

Miss Tree added that a couple with a pram also watched the attack without
intervening. The suspect was described as 5ft 11in, of slim build with
short dark hair and a brown moustache.

Confrontation: The woman (right) was walking through an underpass in Walthamstow to visit her grandmother

Passer-by: While the attack unfolded, another man (left) walked past the attacker and victim, either unaware or choosing to ignore what was happening, and instead concentrating on his phone

Miss
Tree said: ‘This guy was just standing there watching while he just
kept punching and punching me. They didn’t want to get involved in case
they got hurt but I was on my own.

'It makes me feel very angry and anxious. I hope he pays for what he's done because he's hurt me very badly'

Alex Tree, victim

She
told the Waltham Forest Guardian: ‘It makes me feel very angry and
anxious. I hope he pays for what he’s done because he’s hurt me very
badly. I’m in pain outside and inside.’

Her
mother Sarah Foley, 46, also told the newspaper: ‘There were other people
there who did nothing. They could have scared him off or something but
they just did nothing.’

Detectives
are releasing CCTV images of the man - who was wearing grey tracksuit
trousers and top with a white motif on the front of the top - as part of
an appeal to the public to help to identify him.

Getaway: The suspect - described as 5ft 11in, of slim build with short dark hair and a brown moustache - punched her a number of times in the head before wrenching her bag off her and cycling away

Better quality: Officers have also released CCTV footage - at full and half-speed - of the suspect cycling through the underpass before the attack happened, which shows his face more clearly

He
was riding a purple mountain bike with black handle bars. Metropolitan
Police officers are also keen to speak to the man who witnessed the
attack, in order to help their investigation.

'There were other people there who did nothing. They could have scared him off but they just did nothing'

Sarah Foley, victim's mother

Officers
have also released CCTV footage - at full and half-speed - of the
suspect cycling through the underpass before the attack happened, which
shows his face more clearly.